In the operation of battery-powered, electric vehicles, it has been the practice to install in the vehicle a typical electric battery which is capable of providing electromotive force for a period of time. When the battery becomes discharged, the battery can be replaced, with substantial effort, or the vehicle can be stored, for a period of time, in a location having a battery charger system connectable to the vehicle battery.
Battery-powered, electric vehicles have a limited range of operability, say 50 to 100 miles on a fully charged battery or battery bank. Plugging into a battery charging system is time consuming, but in general this has been the only recourse, because there has been no facility for rapid and easy exchange of a discharged battery for a fully charged battery.
The necessity of charging a battery or battery system at frequent intervals has been a detrimental factor in the development of a practical electric car system, which requires, in addition to simple battery operation, a simple and efficient mode for exchange of a spent battery for a fully charged battery, in an expeditious and facile manner, in a short period of time.